This invention relates to a speed changing, motion transmitting mechanism, and more particularly to a mechanism of the friction drive type which includes a pair of mutually inclined discs as the driving and driven elements between an input shaft and an output shaft.
The prior art discloses friction transmission devices which incorporate driving and driven discs, in some cases with intermediate spherical members. An example of such a construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,209,254 issued to Y. A. Ahnger on July 23, 1940 for "Friction Transmission Device." In the mechanism shown and described in that patent, the driving and driven discs may be characterized as being mounted on skewed shafts or shafts which include intermediate gear trains to return them to parallel alignment. The present invention includes improvements relative to the cage structure for the intermediate drive member and the means for mounting the driving and driven discs.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,512,717 issued to R. H. Dicke on June 27, 1950 for "Power Transmission" also discloses a system for transmitting power from one disc to another disc through a spherical intermediate ball. The input and output shafts for mounting the discs are skewed one relative to the other. The present invention represents a substantial improvement relative to that arrangement, particularly with respect to the disc and shaft mounting construction.
Another disc-type power transmission is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,803,834, issued to M. F. Bates on May 5, 1931 for "Power Transmission." This patent, like the other prior art patents referred to above, does not teach the improvements involved in the present invention with respect to the disc and shaft mounting arrangement and the lubricating wick.